


Some Quite Casual Way

by angelacaduca (kallistei)



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: M/M, Yuletide 2007
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 12:44:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1605647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kallistei/pseuds/angelacaduca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Changmin's learning to understand Jaejoong's language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Quite Casual Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jain/gifts).



> Written as a Yuletide Treat for Yuletide 2007.

Changmin always laughs at Jaejoong's stupid kimchi-kimochi joke, only because no-one outside the five of them knows just how true it is when it comes to Jaejoong. Over time, Changmin's learnt to read the sounds of Jaejoong in the kitchen like the lines in his favourite book.

*

When Jaejoong's frustrated, he swears. The clatter of pans, louder than usual, and the flood of profanity from the kitchen tells Changmin to call Yunho, to let him know that he and the other two should probably pick up something for dinner on the way home, to warn him to be prepared for damage control when he gets back. Later, Yunho and Changmin pry the utensils out of Jaejoong's hands, clear up the unrecognisable messes that used to be ingredients and take Jaejoong to bed, the only way they've discovered so far to soothe the humming tension under his skin. The first time's always so fast it's still shocking even after all this time, but Jaejoong always knows who he's really angry with and there are two of them to blunt the edges of Jaejoong's temper, to hold him steady and safe between them. All they have to do is hang on to him, and later Jaejoong will let them kiss him silent and smooth their palms against his chest and back and the insides of his thighs, and then when he swears it'll be reverent and quiet, the good kind.

*

The times that Jaejoong sings, Changmin's learnt that it's _what_ Jaejoong's singing that matters. When Jaejoong's cooking just because he wants to, when he's trying something new, when he's got the time to spare to be content, Jaejoong sings folk songs and old lullabies, his voice dropping through intervals that have no place in their usual repertoire. Under the table, Changmin nudges Yunho's shin with his foot to get his attention; when Yunho looks up, Changmin tilts his head towards the kitchen and says, "He should sing those more often." Yunho nudges back, strokes his foot up Changmin's leg and agrees, a shared look passing between them before they both get up to go and see exactly what Jaejoong's up to.

Jaejoong sings love songs when he's brooding. When he dips into mangled English, that's Changmin's cue to put on his most casual air and wander into the kitchen, to sneak an arm around Jaejoong's waist and tuck his chin over Jaejoong's shoulder. "What're you making?" Changmin asks, and reaches for the closest pan with his free hand just slowly enough that Jaejoong can grab Changmin's wrist before he manages to dip his finger in.

When Jaejoong laughs and says, "Don't do that, you'll give yourself food poisoning!" Changmin knows that he's successfully disrupted the brooding process - it would be safe to go back to his laptop now, but instead he stays where he is, with Jaejoong warm against his chest and Jaejoong's fingers tracing gentle circles against the wrist he still hasn't let go of. After a few moments, Jaejoong tips his cheek against Changmin's, says, "I'm fine now, and I can't finish cooking with you attached to me, so if you're going to stay, you'd better make yourself useful." When Yunho comes to check on them later, Jaejoong's in front of the hob, humming under his breath and swaying slightly to the beat of his own song as he stirs, and Changmin's chopping vegetables enough to feed an army at the kitchen table. Yunho drifts a hand through Changmin's hair on his way to kiss Jaejoong's cheek, and Changmin reads the 'Nicely done,' under the touch. Changmin smiles across the table at Yunho when he finds himself drafted into helping too, and Yunho shrugs back, indulgent.

*

Just once, Changmin opens the front door to the sounds of metallic crashing and the shattering of crockery from the kitchen, to Yunho staring blankly at the TV, studiously ignoring the racket. Changmin stops dead in his tracks, not knowing which direction to move in until Junsu and Yoochun run into him. Their laughter stops abruptly as they nudge Changmin forward until they can slip past him, Yoochun making for the kitchen, Junsu dropping to his knees in front of Yunho and reaching for his hands. Changmin stands there a moment longer, until the noise level drops suddenly and he can hear himself think. From the kitchen, he hears Yoochun's soft murmur, snatches of Jaejoong's voice saying, "-not his fucking _girlfriend_ -" and, "-never catch him saying that to Changmin-"; to Junsu, Yunho's muttering about, "-just wanted him to be careful-" and, "-has to _think_ -" with his hands clutching at Junsu's. Eventually Changmin makes himself move. He still can't make himself choose, though, and anyhow he knows that Yunho and Jaejoong are being well taken care of; instead he walks to his bedroom, falls into the bed that they've so often proven is big enough for three, and wonders how long it'll take for Jaejoong and Yunho to start talking to each other again this time.

Changmin wakes up to the bed dipping under the weight of two more bodies, to the heat of someone curling against his back and the smell of food suddenly filling the room. Changmin rolls over to find it's Jaejoong pressed up against him and beyond Jaejoong's shoulder, Changmin can see Yunho settled gingerly on the edge of the bed, a tray balanced across his lap.

Jaejoong presses a kiss to Changmin's jaw, opens his mouth and then seems to change his mind before he actually gets anything out. "We're sorry about before," he says eventually.

"I take it you've made up?" Changmin asks, and Jaejoong's arm tightens ever so slightly around his waist.

"More or less," Jaejoong replies, and tips Yunho a look over his shoulder.

"Close enough," Yunho amends. "We've still got a few things to talk about, but we thought we should bring you some dinner to apologise."

Changmin's just moving to sit up when Jaejoong says, "I'd be careful, though. Yunho made that, not me."

Yunho laughs at that and pokes at Jaejoong's cheek. "You're just jealous of my talent in the kitchen," he says. Partly it's the humour, and partly it's the relief, but Changmin finds himself laughing so hard he can't sit up for a good few minutes.

*

In Jaejoong's language just as he does in every other, Changmin's found there's some phrases he'd rather never hear again - and some he never gets tired of; he's glad it's the latter he hears more often the harder he listens.


End file.
